tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144Tue, 18 Oct 2016 16:19:20 +0000magicmattersR. Paul Wilson's personal blog.http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Paul Wilson)Blogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-4778735503280073458Sun, 14 Feb 2016 00:56:00 +00002016-02-13T17:24:13.143-08:00Farewell, JP. <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">At the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles is the historic Farmer’s Market, which now resides alongside The Grove, a pre-fabricated, garish “mall experience” designed with a nod to Disney-style details in opposition to the genuine character of its old-fashioned neighbor. When the corporate behemoth arrived, many believed that the folksy food court next-door, filled with tiny stalls, stores and colorful characters would soon be a thing of the past but while people are easily thrilled and diverted by the new, they grow to appreciate those qualities that endure from one generation to the next.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Similarly, James Patton; writer, surfer, bartender, magician, sleight of hand expert, lifelong theorist and occasional sophist was a bridge between generations.&nbsp;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">It was at the Market that I first met Jim in a tense meeting brokered by our mutual friend Gordon Bean. The first order of business was a woeful essay I had written many years before soaked in the hubris of youth and dripping with arrogance and stupidity. Jim had been sent a copy at the time and I was firmly on his shit-list until Gordon convinced him we should meet. Typically forthright, he opened the conversation with his concerns. After our discussion, he nodded sagely, popped his ubiquitous pipe between his teeth and uttered “dictated but not read” and that was the end of it. From that moment we were fast friends and the Farmer’s Market became our regular meeting place to tell stories, share secrets and dissect sleight of hand - a process he referred to as “cutting up touches.”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Time spent with Jim was amorphous, slipping easily away as we delved deeper into nuances and details; experimenting, exploring possibilities, and all-the-while trying to impress each other with some discovery or other. My favorite memories of the Magic Castle were with Jim, Aaron Fisher, Chris Korn and others discussing minutia and telling tall tales; often ending (as Jim would put it) “in our cups”. Sometimes, we would decamp from the Castle, drive to the Farmer’s Market and sample our favorite fare before the conversation returned to magic. One day, as we finished our lunch*, James removed a deck of unopened decades-old Aristocrats from his pocket that he had secured from Neil Lester. These were his favorite cards and there was a sense of ceremony as he carefully cut the seal with his pocket knife and gently removed the cards. The deck was passed from Chris to Aaron then to me, where I secretly added two palmed cards to the face of the deck. As Jim watched, I carelessly dropped a card into a cup of barbecue sauce and proceeded &nbsp;to wipe it clean on the <i>other card</i> I had added! Jim almost bit clean through his pipe as he bellowed “Dude!” so loud that the entire Market seemed to stop to see what tragedy had occurred. Before I could confess, Jim took the cards and said “Don’t worry RP, there’s more where these came from...” and when he realized it was just a joke he laughed as hard as I’ve seen him laugh before telling me, “You’re still walking home!”</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">At the Market, we regularly met with visiting magicians and lunched with Phil H, Frenchie The Hawk and their cabal of former scufflers and crossroaders. Once, Jim convinced Frenchie to give me a lesson in controlled dice shots and we spent an unforgettable week throwing bones at a newspaper-covered table watched by baffled onlookers. He also loved to visit Monte Carlo’s Delicatessen in Burbank, also known as Pinocchio’s. This was one of Larry Jennings’ favorite haunts where we reminisced about LJ for long hours in the red leather booths at the back. Time with Jim often surrounded some type of food establishment and Jim was extremely picky. If I suggested something off our beaten path, he would proclaim, “RP, Jim Patton don’t eat in no joint!” Occasionally, he would stay at my hotel or apartment in LA (or Aaron Fisher’s place) and pour deep glasses of whisky as we discussed (with diminishing success) the particulars of life, the universe and everything.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Jim would be the last to tell you that he was any more than an adept or a lucky enthusiast who somehow found himself in the middle of the most important creative magic scene of the 20th century but his contribution of ideas and his generosity of spirit reveals an important sleight of hand artist who bridged a huge gap between generations of fellow card magicians. It’s a great loss to the art that Jim never completed his own book, which would have been rich with ideas and inspiration from past and present friends. As a writer he was a perfectionist to a fault, unable to leave a rough draft until he had polished every detail. Never-the-less he played a crucial role in many publications that have enriched the greater magic library not least the notebooks of his close friend Bruce Cervon, which were released in their original form and are nothing less than a treasure trove of ideas and material. He also worked with Steve Reynolds to transcribe and describe Cervon’s video notebooks.&nbsp;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">When Jim finally retired from The Magic Castle, he left an enormous gap that would be impossible to fill. Many are keen to observe that the Castle isn’t like it used to be but nothing is like it used to be. Things change and life moves on.&nbsp;After leaving his job as bartender, Jim spent more time with his wife Judy, occasionally hitting the road for antiquing adventures along the coast. Jim had a love for the ocean that is particular to surfers. Walking along a beach with Jim was like visiting an old flame. He spoke for hours about the surfer scene and, as with magic, often bemoaned the tide of change as it washed past him.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Like the Farmer’s Market that became our second home, Jim weathered the times that surrounded him. He was always the best dressed man in the room, defining the term “snappy” with his rigid loyalty to Ralph Lauren complementing sand-white hair atop an eternally handsome face that aged like blonde oak, gracefully soaking up the years and drawing deep lines filled with character and charisma.</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Jim Patton leaves a legacy of generosity and a circle of close friends who will follow in his footsteps. He&nbsp;had too many friends in magic to name but for all of us, his passing is a reminder that long after the shine has faded on what was once new and exciting, kindness, honesty, intelligence and class are qualities that continue to endure.&nbsp;</div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><i>*Paratha for Chris, gumbo for Aaron, barbecue for me and <b>always</b> a corned beef sandwich from Magees Kitchen for Jim.</i></div>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2016/02/farewell-jp.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-8466494939048861518Thu, 09 Apr 2015 15:35:00 +00002015-04-09T08:56:37.140-07:00Flourishing is BULLSHIT and here's why...<h4><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i><span data-dobid="hdw">dork -&nbsp;</span><span class="lr_dct_ph">dɔːk/</span><span class="lr_dct_spkr lr_dct_spkr_off" data-log-string="pronunciation-icon-click" jsaction="dob.p" style="display: inline-block; height: 16px; margin: 0px 2px 4px 5px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;" title="Listen"><input height="14" src="data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAA4AAAAOCAQAAAC1QeVaAAAAi0lEQVQokWNgQAYyQFzGsIJBnwED8DNcBpK+DM8YfjMUokqxMRxg+A9m8TJsBLLSEFKMDCuBAv/hCncxfGWQhUn2gaVAktkMXkBSHmh0OwNU8D9csoHhO4MikN7BcAGb5H+GYiDdCTQYq2QubkkkY/E6CLtXdiJ7BTMQMnAHXxFm6IICvhwY8AYQLgCw2U9d90B8BAAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==" type="image" width="14" /><br /></span>noun<br /><span class="lr_dct_lbl_blk vk_gy" style="color: rgb(135, 135, 135) !important; margin-right: 6px;">informal</span>a contemptible, socially inept person.<br /><span class="lr_dct_lbl_blk vk_gy" style="color: rgb(135, 135, 135) !important; margin-right: 6px;">informal</span>Someone who has odd interests, and is often silly at times. A dork is also someone who can be themselves and not care what other people think.<br /><span class="lr_dct_lbl_blk vk_gy" style="color: rgb(135, 135, 135) !important; margin-right: 6px;">preferred</span>Someone who is passionately dedicated, studious and proud of their dorkitude.</i></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></h4><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">This weekend is the second Cardistry Con, a gathering of like-minded playing card obsessed twitchers, fiddlers and shufflers who have traveled from all corners of the world to talk about how many packets they can cut without dropping anything.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Except they’re not…and they haven’t.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This is the second official event but the first Cardistry Con was little more than an afterthought organized at the tail end of last year’s Magic Con in a side room with free pizza and sodas. It was easy to make fun of&nbsp; and I’m all for making fun of these guys and girls but perhaps not for reasons that are obvious or apparent to most.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The problem is that flourishing has been an easy target for a long time and those who came to represent the new forms of flourishing were often criticized by members of the magic community who were either too quick to judge or chose to look down upon "demonstrations of obvious skill".</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The problem for me (and many of my friends) was that I kind of agreed with <i>some</i> of the anti-flourish sentiment but thanks to my friendship with Lee Asher, Dan and Dave Buck and Joey Burton I soon recognized the birth of a new art form that was separate from magic even though it used many of the same tools.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Some exponents of this new form were not so easy to appreciate.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Brian Tudor, especially, became a divisive personality, using an&nbsp; “attack is the best form of defense” strategy to challenge so-called “traditional card magic”. Joshua Jay will confirm that I once took loud and drunken offense to this approach, taking two other notable card men’s name in vain in order to make a point that included the words “lick”, “sweat” and “balls” in the same sentence.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Shortly after that encounter, Brian approached me at the Magic Castle and was kind enough not to punch my lights out. Instead we chatted and I got a better sense of his passion and conviction for this new art form that he was part of. &nbsp;</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">He and I chatted for an hour that night and it completely reshaped the way I looked at flourishes. I always enjoyed them and had respect for those who put in the work but suddenly I recognized that something new, exciting and different was growing around the magic community.</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Whatever people may have thought about Tudor, he was (and hopefully still is) incredibly good at what he did and his videos from that time still continue to influence the new generation of cardists.&nbsp;<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Brian was clearly reflecting the animosity shown to flourish-based material that seemed to come from all corners of the “traditional” magic scene. In truth, he seemed more than happy to talk seriously and respectfully when he was treated the same way.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My issue has always been that flourishing is not magic but</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">, as my recent creative efforts have illustrated, even great magicians aren’t certain what magic really is; they just know it when they see it.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But that doesn’t mean an expression of skill and elegance in motion can’t be magical.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Or wonderful.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Or unforgettable.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Or all of the above.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A great flourish can be any or all (or none) of these things and I would argue that a higher percentage of flourishes achieve these goals, compared to the never-ending litany of weak magic tricks performed without presentation or any idea of what’s supposed to be happening.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Magic is a feeling that comes from experiencing the impossible.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Magic<i>al</i> is an impression created by witnessing the incredible.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Both are powerful and both can be meaningful.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Flourishing is not magic, so magicians need to <i>shut the fuck up</i> about demonstrations of skill shattering the illusion (or feeling) of magic.&nbsp;</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Chris Kenner, for example, has played an enormous part in encouraging and cultivating the growth of cardistry around the world. His own material sewed seeds that have grown over the last twenty years, and he’s no slouch himself when it comes to raw skill and technique but he is <i>also </i>the co-author of one of greatest magic shows on Earth.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My point is, you don’t need to choose sides: magic and cardistry can complement one another in the correct context.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I once saw footage of John Scarne performing a series of flourishes that he described as “something from his youth”, so distinguishing this discipline as something separate from his magic and gambling skills. Indeed, Scarne made a career from demonstrating obvious skill in addition to entertaining his audiences with powerful magic. Similarly, a</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">fter seeing Derek and Helder’s landmark show “Nothing To Hide”, I learned a powerful, transformative lesson about demonstrating skill alongside magic - a lesson that has informed and improved my own performances.&nbsp;</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Skill and magic </span><i style="letter-spacing: 0px;">can</i><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> be combined but they have to be presented in an intelligent, balanced way.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>But I'm getting away from my original point, which is<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;that <i>flourishing is bullshit</i> and here’s why:</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The word “flourish” has become derogatory. In the greater magic community it has devolved into a term for something vulgar or unnecessary; something obvious or unpleasant; something lesser or inferior.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And that’s bullshit.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s easy to look at the word “Cardistry” as pretentious or fanciful. Maybe it is. It deserves to be.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Cardistry has grown into something far greater than most people expected and the time has come to recognize it as what it is:&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">An art form.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">An expression.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A creative, exciting new field populated by creative, exciting people.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And dorks. Lots of dorks.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dorks like Dan and Dave who have grown and cultivated cardistry from a novel off-shoot of card magic to a distinctive, powerful form of live and recorded viral media.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;">Dorks like The Virts who look like a gang of friendly male-model&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 11px;">hipsters,</span><span style="font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;">&nbsp;working hard to exceed possibilities, redefine card manipulation and shatter limitations to inspire thousands of fellow enthusiasts around the word.</span></span><br /><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dorks like Tony Chang. <i>Yes, Tony - you! </i>Tony is a magician but I firmly believe that his unique, innovative and absolutely stunning approach to sleight of hand owes a great deal to the the community and culture of cardistry that constantly strives to break past-records and do things the last generation could barely dream of. Watching Tony perform live is exactly like watching a camera trick and I marvel as much at his methods as I do at his effects. His cardistry may be invisible but it’s grown from the same fertile ground.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dorks like Allan Hagen who has been part of the Cardistry scene for many years but has leaned towards magic bringing with him a whole new tool box to conjure with. Allan was one of the first to recognize how cardistry and filmmaking complimented one another and his work with other talents in the field has set a high standard for cardistry videos.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dorks like Zach Mueller whose passion and dedication to the art is helping to elevate cardistry both within the magic community and around the world.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0px;">There are so many more. Devo, who has created his own carefully crafted identity (he has a "</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 11px;">throne" for&nbsp;practicing on!) and through "Superhandz" has given guys like me a window into a world I find truly fascinating. Dynamo, who has exploded onto the world stage as a magician but is also part of the Cardistry community. There are so many I can't possibly name them all.</span></span><br /><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s fun to call them dorks but only because I’m as big a dork as anyone and I marvel at their dedication, their unbounded creativity and their ability to adapt and focus their efforts into something like Cardistry Con. I like making fun of these guys because I really love what they do, I respect their hard work, their dedication and the boundaries they continue to break through.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The world of playing cards, magic and online magic-related media would not be the same without the people who have inspired and cultivated the art of cardistry from the beginning.&nbsp;</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">That first Cardistry Con may have seemed to be just an after-hours gathering in a hotel meeting room but it was genuinely exciting to witness a group of like-minded people getting together to talk about their passion.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">They talked about what they do and why they do it. Where they’re going and when they might move from Cardistry to other arts forms or disciplines. It was genuine, it was real and it was inspirational. They were talking about flourishes and demonstrations of skill but what they do comes from more than a desire to merely “show off”.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Each wanted to take their ideas to the next level, to go further than those who went before and it was here that I saw a distinct, clearly identifiable difference between Cardistry and magic. Each creator wanted, perhaps even <i>hoped for</i> someone to take their ideas and adapt or improve them. There was none of the animosity or territorial disputes associated with certain elements of the magic community and, in the last hour of discussion at the first Cardistry Con, I witnessed a generosity and sense of community that was both humbling and inspirational.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was honored to be there.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, flourishing i<i>s</i> bullshit but cardistry is an art and a form of expression that’s beginning to define itself on its own terms.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It may not be magic but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a close relation that has great deal to share with those who choose to listen.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Happy Cardistry Con. I wish I could be there.</span></div><br />http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2015/04/flourishing-is-bullshit-and-heres-why.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-2070912619496953909Sat, 22 Nov 2014 11:57:00 +00002014-11-29T03:11:40.305-08:00Killers - a preview.Very soon, I will be releasing "<i>Killers</i>" a very special collection of effects that represent years of hard work, research and experience. <i>Killers</i> is not just another collection of card tricks. It's an attempt to share more than mere methods. With this collection I am hoping to convey the thinking required to turn tricks into miracles and to use simple processes - a series of overt actions - to engage the audience and deepen the mystery being performed. To do this, I have spent many months analyzing each effect and learning how to teach in a way that encourages the viewer to include the most important element for any successful magic effect.<br /><br />Magic only really works - really connects - when a performer is present in the moment. The personality of the person presenting an idea, effect or mystery is an integral part of what the audience experiences and remembers. One of the most common mistakes we all make at the beginning of our journey into magic is to copy or imitate people we respect or admire; or to unknowingly develop aspects of another performer or teacher until we subconsciously grow into a version of someone else. This can be subtle or obvious but you can really tell when someone is starting to "get it" or become more interesting (as a performer) when we begin to hear their own voice when they perform; when an element of honesty can be felt in what that person is saying and doing.<br /><br />It's not easy to be yourself when performing magic. The duality of performing secret actions and using unseen methods while presenting an effect makes magic especially difficult for anyone and this is why we all seem to come to magic with a shared mindset; a mental switch that allows us to perform without guilt about what we're hiding: to do one thing while saying another. Having taught magic to several actors and other performers, I see how other people just don't have that natural ability to deceive in this way. I would argue that anyone who wishes to learn magic automatically has that switch in the right position but it still takes time to grow comfortable enough to perform <i>naturally</i>.<br /><br />Semi-automatic and (so-called) self-working card magic might seem like a short cut to being able to perform more easily and I'd agree that this can be true but with one important caveat: simple does not necessarily mean easy and just because there are no difficult sleights in an effect doesn't mean it is easy to perform. It does mean that it is easier to learn the actions required to achieve the effect but once these are absorbed, they must be presented with clarity and fairness and timed in such a way as to maximize the power of an effect. And that power can be incredible once you've mastered that effect.<br /><br />My aim with these routines is to utterly fool anyone who sees them and to achieve outcomes that are clearly impossible to the audience. What I mean by this is that the audience absolutely <i>must </i>understand why an effect is impossible and be engaged and interested throughout. Tamariz observed that "magic should be fascinating and impossible" and I learned a great deal from this statement. Many of us rely on an effect to be fascinating because it turns out to be impossible. Suddenly, at the end, the audience realizes that what they are watching is interesting and amazing, almost always asking you to "do it again". Many times, this isn't just so they can try to work it out; it's because they hadn't paid enough attention the first time and suddenly they're interested enough to give it more thought. Obviously, this is far from ideal. The perfect scenario is to engage the audience from the beginning and to hold their interest until the payoff, which should be both powerful and affecting <i>if</i> the audience is interested enough to understand how impossible the trick really is.<br /><br />So what is <i>Killers</i>&nbsp;about and why is it special?<br /><br />Ask yourself this question: to learn just <i>one</i> powerful, baffling, impossible effect - what would you pay for a private lesson? Fifty dollars? A hundred? Two hundred?<br /><br />Typically, I do not give lessons. There are reasons that I won't go into here but it's mostly to do with time and commitment on my part <i>but</i> I have given a number of Skype lessons to people who have been persistent and I've found that, despite my concerns about the format (live video), it is actually a very effective means of teaching and learning. After doing a handful of these, I decided to completely scrap the original footage of <i>Killers</i>, which had been fully shot and partly edited! I then decided to re-shoot all of the explanations in a style similar to those online lessons. In other words, I tried to emulate the experience of a direct one-to-one lesson with each of the effects on <i>Killers</i> in order to properly teach how to perform these routines.<br /><br />Let me say that again - I threw out months of work and re-shot everything! I did this for one very important reason: almost all instructional magic videos are too short and too direct. The instruction is brief and terse - usually because the performer believes that the viewer can simply rewind and repeat, which is true but it means that a great deal of insight is left out in the interest of not getting too in-depth and boring the viewer! What I learned from giving private lessons is that I need to explain every detail clearly and in the correct context to truly fulfill my objective of teaching every effect properly. This is what I've tried to achieve with <i>Killers</i>: nine one-to-one lessons that guide the viewer to learning AND performing each effect.<br /><br />I do not intend for these to be watched all in one sitting. Nor should you watch them passively, just to see how each effect is done. Instead, I hope that you will watch each effect individually, with cards in hand, following my instructions and learning in the most effective way possible - by doing. After each lesson, you should go through the actions until they are second nature and rehearse how you intend to present each procedure to maximize elements of deception and focus your audience on the mystery being revealed. I will give you all of the details and the nuances - all you need to add is yourself.<br /><br />As for the effects included, some of these have been released in other forms but Killers represents my most up-to-date methods and complete instructions. For example, there's&nbsp;<i>Randall Flagg</i>, an effect I published in the early nineties that has proven very difficult to teach until I really broke down the steps and worked out a clear way to teach the procedure. This is also the way I perform <i>Randall Flagg</i> today, which still fools magicians and laymen alike. I've included my latest work on <i>C3</i> and other effects that have been published in notes and online over the years. There's new material too, including a miracle <i>Sympathetic Cards</i> routine that I've performed with great success despite only using a normal deck of cards that is shuffled by a member of the audience. There's an impossible card location that I've used to fool and surprise knowledgeable card men but is also a fantastic effect for non magicians because conditions can be just as important and just as fascinating to lay people as they are to magicians - <i>if</i> presented <i>properly</i>. The effects on <i>Killers</i> really are some of my best work and I believe that anyone who loves performing strong, engaging magic will find a great deal of inspiration with this set.<br /><br />There are no performances on these DVDs and this is deliberate - I want you to imagine yourself using these methods and applying these secrets to create your own miracles. Better that than a sterile studio audience who are under pressure from the lights, the cameras and the necessities of such a production. That being said, Penguin Magic invited me to their showroom a few months ago and asked me to perform ALL of the pieces in their weekly magic show for the public. They filmed the performance and, despite never performing so many of these effects in one set (I normally only use one or two semi-automatic miracles in a standard show) the show was a lot of fun and the resulting promotional video illustrates the strength of these effects.<br /><br /><i>Killers </i>is a collection of extremely powerful and (for me) valuable effects that could find a place in any repertoire. More than that, it's an attempt to really share my thinking and give you every detail while helping you to find your own presentations and style when turning simple processes into fascinating, engaging miracles.<br /><br />http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2014/11/killers-preview.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-9047441319487755103Sun, 25 Aug 2013 18:56:00 +00002013-08-25T12:15:02.136-07:00"Our Magic" update - August 25thThere are moments when I still have to pinch myself.<br /><br />I've been in love with the art of magic since I was eight years old. It has fascinated, educated, protected and provided for me ever since. The last thirty-six years have been filled with wonders and now, thanks to "Our Magic", I continue to experience the incredible.<br /><br />"Our Magic" is about showing the audience that there is much, much more to our art and our community than the cliche's that persist and contribute to how how we are regarded by the public. It's about conveying a passion for deception, for ingenuity and for astonishment. "Our Magic" takes the audience through a side door and into the world that we experience as magicians, as thinkers and as members of a world-wide community.<br /><br />It soon became clear that we could not reveal every aspect of magic to the public in just ninety minutes so, instead, I started to think about my own experience and that of my fellow producers. As director and editor, it would be my personal perspective that would shape the final product so I needed to fully understand the real objective of "Our Magic".<br /><div><br /></div>This film cannot represent every opinion or point of view but it can send the audience home with a greater understanding of the art and, most importantly, a better appreciation for what we do. If watching "Our Magic" inspires the viewer to seek out and experience a live magic show, then it will be a success and remain true to the intentions of Maskelyn and Devant.<br /><br />Next year we will begin screening the film privately for our Kickstarter supporters, our friends and fellow magicians. Next we will take the film to the festival circuit and try to secure a domestic and international distributor. What will the film show? What will it say about magic?&nbsp;For that, you need look no further than the name of this blog.<br /><br />This project has taken us on an amazing journey. We've travelled thousands of miles to show the many faces of magic but most importantly, to learn how magic fits into the world around us. Along the way I have started to see the film come together as a clear message has started to emerge.&nbsp;In the next three months we will complete filming and begin the long process of post production. Between my other film, television and writing commitments, I have set aside enough time to complete "Our Magic" by mid April.<br /><br />We are fortunate to have offers from talented and highly skilled members of the community but we still need our own music and plan to raise money for marketing and festival promotions next year. &nbsp;All offers of help are taken seriously so please contact us.<br /><br />Two days ago we found ourselves interviewing someone who has helped create some of the most iconic illusions of the twentieth century and rebuilt and recovered many lost treasures of magic history. At one point I found myself playing chess with an automaton that has fascinated me for decades before having Harry Houdini sign an autograph decades after he passed away.<br /><br />As we filmed one incredible piece after another I had to stop and catch my breath. This was yet another room filled with wonders that my eight year-old self could never have imagined. I pinched myself and smiled because, thanks to centuries of imagination and invention, this room was real.<br /><br />Soon, "Our Magic" will also be a reality and we can't wait to share it with you.http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/08/our-magic-update-august-25th.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-8327950321134587515Fri, 05 Jul 2013 07:46:00 +00002013-08-25T10:58:19.168-07:00Our Magic - July 1st 2013Earlier this year, Jason England, Dan and Dave Buck and I released a Kickstarter project for a documentary about the art of magic. It was a huge success, achieving full funding within thirty six hours and went on to make enough money to expand the scope of the film.<br /><br />"Our Magic" is now in production. Filming started on June 13th in Louisville, Kentucky. There we witnessed the birth of America's first major magic festival for the public. We filmed a unique and surprising magic show, secured and important interview and recorded magic at it's very best, performed for the intended audience. Immediately after Louisville we spent a couple of days inside one of the most incredible magic collections on Earth.<br /><br />This week I am home and will be performing for the Edinburgh Magic Festival on Wednesday. Naturally, I took the opportunity to film some more footage and was lucky enough to arrange an interview with David Berglas. Later this week, I hope to shoot two more interviews covering very different aspects of magic.<br /><br />Our roster of interviewees is quite remarkable. Over the next five months, we expect to cover a lot of ground and discuss many aspects of the art. The third act will hopefully surprise many, especially the lay-audience. It is our hope that we leave the viewer with a new appreciation for this oldest of art forms.<br /><br />This month (July) takes us to Japan and Spain. It's important that we show how magic is interpreted around the world both by performers and their audiences. We have been shown incredible generosity in both countries and will come home with more stories and footage than we can ever hope to use.<br /><br />There's more to Our Magic than showing the real face of magic as we see it. You'll learn what that is when the film is released next year.<br /><br />For now, be assured that a lot of hard work is underway and a lot more needs to be done but the course has been set and the wind is in our sails.<br /><br /><br />http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/07/our-magic-july-1st-2013.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-7752972151811915242Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:31:00 +00002013-04-25T03:31:16.219-07:00The Magic Box<br />For the last twelve months, I have been working on several personal projects intended to share my love for the the art of magic. In January of this year I decided to make a short film based on a story I wrote almost ten years ago that featured a magic trick being passed down to the next generation.<br /><br />There were three motivating factors:<br /><br />First, I needed to make something with complete autonomy. Film and television is a collaborative process (as it should be) and it's often hard to point out exactly how and where one contributed to a project.<br /><br />Second, I wanted to connect with those memories and experiences that many of us share in our lives.<br /><br />Third, I wanted to make something I would actually release and, for that, I needed to do everything myself in terms of production to the highest standards. I was going to need help.<br /><br />At the start of the year, I set aside two weeks in March to shoot the film and edit afterward.<br /><br />Next, I approached Allan Hagen, a young cinematographer from Norway, who I've known for several years. I've always liked Allan's honesty, his frank opinions and his aesthetic. I sent him the script, we agreed some dates and booked the flights. Now it was real.<br /><br />Next, I needed a location and spoke with another friend, Paul Nardini, whose home features several rooms, each with a distinctive style that would solve a lot of our problems. Paul generously offered his home but, more than that, he also offered to to help with any carpentry or manufacturing that we needed.<br /><br />Finally, I needed a cast and turned to my friend (and acting coach) Mark Westbrook of Acting Coach Scotland. Mark offered me his studio to audition talent and took over the role of casting director while I was working overseas. Thanks to Mark, I was able to review the best candidates online and make my choices based on Mark's recommendations.<br /><br />Once I had a director of photography, a cast, a location, a schedule and all of the props and equipment, I spent several weeks planning and blocking every camera move. My aim was to keep the moves subtle and use the camera to tell the story in the absence of dialogue.<br /><br />The shoot went to plan, thanks to my crew and excellent performances from our cast. The edit took some time and, at one point, I had to force myself to sleep before I started hallucinating. In the end I was able to lock the edit and send the film to Oslo for Allan to grade in his own studio.<br /><br />The final cut was locked and graded at 2am on April 25th 2013 - my birthday. At noon on the 25th, the film goes online via YouTube.<br /><br />I'd like to say a big thank you to the cast and crew. I hope we all work together again sometime, perhaps on my next film, which is about as different from "The Magic Box" as it's possible to imagine.<br /><br />P<br />http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-magic-box.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-8881736437805691868Mon, 04 Feb 2013 13:04:00 +00002013-02-04T05:04:40.077-08:00The Greatest Hustler Of All Time.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/r6hddgxGAY8" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><br />This week's Unreal Work episode features an interview with our friend "Moves" who, as a young man, spent years in the company of the legendary, Titanic Thompson. Naturally, we've concealed his identity in order to protect his privacy. This interview required a very long detour and months of conversations to tie down but Moves agreed that the time had come to discuss the adventures of his youth.<br /><br />There's more to come, later in the series but, for now we hope you enjoy this rare glimpse into the true nature of the greatest hustler who ever lived.<br /><br />Who was Titanic Thomson?&nbsp;This is an excerpt from my "Real Hustler" blog (http://rpaulwilson.blogspot.co.uk):<br /><br />The term "Hustler" tends to refer to someone who creates action, instigates scenarios and involves the unwitting into games or situations that appear attractive but are really cleverly designed traps. Sometimes there's a trick to it but, mostly, it's about concealing the true nature of the proposition. The classic hustler plays pool at a much higher level than he or she first appears to. The art is in working the victim until they agree to either give the hustler enough weight (advantage) or concede to a proposition that the hustler can easily win.<br />Titanic Thompson was the master of this. His talent for throwing objects with incredible accuracy and mastering games of skill made him an incredibly dangerous man to gamble with but his ability to sell any proposition meant that there was always a line of suckers waiting to be taken. Like all great hustlers and con men, Titanic would put everything he had on the line without blinking. He played his considerable advantage with nerves of steel and little concern for the consequences. That's the real difference between a true hustler and an expert in the genre. I don't like to lose and, unless I have an edge, I rarely like to play. Hustlers are a form of gambler. They may need the game to be rigged but there's always an element of risk, particularly when it comes to blowback from a mark who beefs. Hustlers have no fear in targeting the skillful because they've got them covered, one way or another. Trapping someone with a trick or a gotcha bet is easy when there's nothing real on the line or the intended victim is easy meat.<br />"Ty" killed five men during his career, all in self defense or against attempts to rob Thompson of his considerable bankroll. Facing off angry losers, gunfights and working under extreme pressure are what set Thompson and others like him apart. They're not afraid to take down a mark or a gunman.<br />Over three decades I've studied every angle and edge taken by con artists and cheaters but I've never had a gun pointed at my face or been forced to carry a weapon to defend a thick roll of bills tucked into my sock.<br /><br />There are two books about Titanic Thompson. The latest book, and probably the easiest to obtain, is by Kevin Cook, titled "The Man Who Bet On Everything" but I would recommend finding "The Unsinkable Titanic Thompson" by Carlton Stowers, which is a much more enjoyable read, in my opinion. The title of the former book is completely wrong. Thompson didn't bet on everything, in fact he only bet on something if he had the advantage, as you will learn from the attached video.<br /><div><br /></div>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-greatest-hustler-of-all-time_4.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-2841810587530999764Sun, 27 Jan 2013 19:57:00 +00002013-01-27T11:57:09.983-08:00The Perception Of Magic<br />I am a magician.<br /><br />I discovered magic when I was eight years old. A cheating move with cards, a card trick in the schoolyard and an uncle with a few simple props started a lifelong obsession that has taken me around the world, given me a career and introduced me to my dearest friends.<br /><br />Magic has been a wonderful career and a rewarding passion but, over the years, I have observed a negative attitude towards my art. Many look down on magic as a childish pastime, a lower means of expression or an outdated form of entertainment.<br /><br />I have even been guilty of denying that I am a magician, searching instead for some cooler title; conjuror, deceptionist, even cardician. But the truth is that I am a magician and I'm proud to say so.<br /><br />I am other things, too. I've spent as much of my life fascinated by cheaters and con men but I would not wish to be either. I direct, produce and write for film and television and, in recent years have trained formally as an actor. All of these things are part of who I am and what I do but, primarily, I am a magician.<br /><br />In recent years I have seen an improvement in the public's appreciation of magic. Much of this is thanks to magic on television reviving the image of the art and keeping it in front of an audience but I think the most important factor is that the public have more opportunities to see live magic shows than in recent years.<br /><br />Here in the UK, Derren Brown, Andy Nyman and Michael Vine (along with Iain Sharkey and others) have written and produced several, completely different, two-hour theatre shows that delight audiences around the UK. I clearly remember sitting in a packed Edinburgh Playhouse before a show, amazed by the sense of anticipation and delighted by the diversity of Derren's audience. Their achievement and contribution to the image of magic is second to none.<br /><br />BBC One's hit show "The Magicians" delighted millions of viewers and, on set, we were turning away bus-loads of people desperate to see the show live. The feeling of wonder in those live shows was staggering and a powerful reminder that the public, of all ages, love the excitement of a live magic performance.<br /><br />In Las Vegas I've witnessed audiences spellbound by David Copperfield, enthralled by Penn and Teller and delighted by Mac King. People love magic, if they have the chance to experience it live.<br /><br />Magic is best seen as a live experience. On television, the best shows spend as much time sharing the reactions of the audience as they do showing the effect being performed. Television magic must be about the power magic has when performed for real people. Without that, it could just be another special effect.<br /><br />Audiences can see the miraculous happen any time they like by switching on their TV or going to the movies. It has become the norm. Visual effects have reached a point where they no longer shock, surprise or amaze the viewer. Now, in my opinion, plot, character and storytelling are far more important and affecting than movie effects can ever hope to be. These are the real "three dimensions" of filmmaking.<br /><br />Likewise, real experiences, in the real world are now more important than ever. Magic can open people's minds, unleash their imagination and inspire true wonder. Magic can be challenging, inspiring, baffling, frustrating, amazing, funny, stunning or fascinating. It's a wonderful thing to be part of.<br /><br />This short film, part of the Unreal Work series, discusses the public's perception of magic, how it changes when seen live and how magicians can continue to improve the image of magic.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Li8cZpa3588" width="480"></iframe>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-perception-of-magic_27.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-4771075087669028692Sat, 26 Jan 2013 23:08:00 +00002013-01-26T15:09:54.791-08:00What are "The Unreal Sessions"?<br />As many of you know, last year Jason England and I embarked on our "Unreal Tour" around the United States to interview magicians, film collections and record new tricks and ideas for the magic fraternity.<br /><br />The first product of this was "The Unreal Work 2", which was released before Christmas, has been a huge success so far and will soon be available on DVD.<br /><br />The Unreal Work short films started going online about two weeks ago. These are interviews on subjects relating to magic and magicians designed to stimulate thought and discussion in the magic community and to offer the public an insight into our little world. The third one goes online in a few days and will discuss the public's perception of magic.<br /><br />The Unreal Sessions is the third product of our tour and is strictly for magicians only. The sessions feature tricks, sleights and ideas from myself and Jason England with a guest contributor to each edition. In addition to the three items taught there will also be a performance-only piece of "Buried Treasure" that viewers must find and learn from the printed page.<br /><br />The Unreal Sessions is a fresh idea and, we hope, a great way to share material.<br /><br />Each episode costs $9.95, which is often the price for a single effect or move. For this we offer three items, sometimes four, plus a great trick to dig out of your library.<br /><br />We are also offering a subscription to all ten episodes for $64.95 making every episode a real bargain at just $6.50. Subscribers will also receive access to full-length interviews and additional content.<br /><br />Many of you have voiced concerns about buying online content but "Unreal" customers will all be given the chance to own DVDs of the same content for the cost of shipping and handling.<br /><br />The Unreal project is all about sharing our experiences and offering real value for money. Everything is filmed on the road and on location with professional sound and video.<br /><br />Purchasers of the online version of Unreal Work 2 will be offered the DVDs for the cost of shipping and handling and the same deal will be offered to "Unreal Sessions" subscribers.<br /><br />When the "Unreal Sessions" hits DVD, subscribers will get the same deal and will save on the final price of the DVD sets, while getting full access to the material as it comes out.<br /><br />What will be on the sessions?<br /><br />Future episodes will feature a fantastic effect from Asi Wind that went straight into our repertoires, is incredibly commercial and fooled Jason England on camera (he blinks twice - that's his tell); an unpublished Vernon idea from Gary Plants; a magical, fun, rubber band interlude from Christian Engblom; the real work on a classic effect from Johnny Thompson; a magical sequence with a surprise ending from Lance Pierce; an incredibly useful sleight with hundreds of applications from Mark Mason; a miracle oil and water routine from David Solomon and an ingenious sleight from Steve Reynolds.<br /><br />This week's premier episode features:<br /><br />Instant Aces - Paul's version of a Marlo classic. Hands are shown empty, waved over the tabled deck and four aces instantly appear on top of the deck. In Paul's version you end completely clean!<br /><br />Conning Caveney - Jason takes a terrific Steve Forte idea and turns it into a powerful, baffling gambling demonstration.<br /><br />DaZinser - Dani DaOrtiz presents his version of a Hofzinser plot, fooling everyone at the table. Dani places two cards aside and lets the spectator cut any amount of cards. The total of the two cards is the same as that number. He repeats but lets the audience choose the two cards in the fairest manner. Again they add up to the number cut from the deck. A really great trick from a modern master.<br /><br />Buried Treasure - a classic effect from Bob King, performed by Jason England.<br /><br />Bonus: Paul teaches a great way to count cards on top of the deck, secretly.<br /><br />Join the Unreal Session at:<br /><br /><a href="http://shop.dananddave.com/magic-tricks/the-unreal-sessions.html">http://shop.dananddave.com/magic-tricks/the-unreal-sessions.html</a>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/01/as-many-of-you-know-last-year-jason.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-4668309208567979272Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:27:00 +00002013-01-21T07:28:52.365-08:00Room For Wonder<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ss6UdAtQT5U" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />One of the first stops on the Unreal Tour 2012 was a visit to the home of Richard Garriott.<br /><br />Amongst his collections were some of the most remarkable items I've ever seen and the automaton room was simply breathtaking.<br /><br />Since Richard was out of town, his friend Brad Henderson gave us the tour and treated Jason and I to one of the highlights of our trip.<br /><br />We were fortunate to visit a few other collections and a film about collectors is on the way in a few weeks.<br /><br />For now, take a moment to wonder.<br /><br />P<br /><br /><br />http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/01/room-for-wonder.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-8441215628003620381Fri, 18 Jan 2013 21:12:00 +00002013-01-18T13:17:03.581-08:00Is magic an art?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GNGDoroJtYw" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On Friday January 11th, I uploaded the first Unreal Work episode, which asked the question:</span><br /><h3><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Is magic an art?"</span></h3><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, it certainly can be and I have spent many years thinking about what elevates the performance of magic to an artistic level.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I make no claims to do so myself but I strive to create those moments that transcend the simple "wow" and deliver something both memorable and affecting.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Magic is unusual because it relies on the audience to engage mentally, often physically, in the performance and each person in the crowd brings something to the room that might affect the experience.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think a great deal about the art of engaging people and helping them to enjoy these little miracles of ours; to connect with aspects of their lives or commit some amount of emotion to what is happening around them. There are barriers both social and intellectual. Each performance presents us with hurdles and some are higher than others. Sometimes the room simply doesn't connect the way it should and the performer must carry the show fully on his or her own shoulders.</span><br /><br /><h4><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Where the spirit does not work with the hand, there is no art.” - Leonardo da Vinci</span></h4><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have many thoughts on the matter but the purpose of the question "Is magic an art?" was not to create a forum solely for my own feelings but to ignite a conversation within the community of magicians that might help others to understand a little more about what we do.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The question is far from perfect. Many take offence that it should even be asked and, while I agree with their feelings wholeheartedly, I also think it's a question that needs to be addressed.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It comes from several discussions I've had with non-magicians who fall into two camps:&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">First are those who cannot recognise magic as an art that might invoke feelings, opinions or memories. These opinions range from respectful refusal to outright contempt for magic.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Second are people who experience a great magic show or effect and express surprise, even shock at what they have seen and felt. Often they compliment the performer by saying that they don't like magic but that this performer is somehow different or special. It's a compliment but it fails to recognise that theres more to the medium.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have even had discussions with well-known members of the magic community who feel that magic is not an art and can never compare to other art forms.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It seems to many of us that the answer is an obvious one and the question is foolish. I believe that any form of expression can become an art depending on the intent and the ability of the artist. Art is in the artist and not the medium.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our interviewees answered the question eloquently and I agree with much of what was said. I am delighted that the discussion has continued on the magic forums, most of it agreeing with something said on the film.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Is magic an art?" is a bad question designed to invoke great answers. I wish there was a better one but, as interviewers, we needed to start the topic without any context or agenda.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes, magic can be an art. It can express a great deal about the performer and what he or she thinks and feels. If can create incredible moments of wonder and emotion. It doesn't always need to; and there's as much art in knowing when as there is in knowing how.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a deep canyon that needs to be explored, even if&nbsp;<i>we</i>&nbsp;already know the answer. I hope the conversation continues and grows so that all laymen will regard the question "Is magic an art?" in the same way as they would "Is painting an art?".</span><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I leave the final word to Francis Bacon. I think it applies especially to magic and magicians, for obvious reasons:</span><br /><h4><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery." -- Francis Bacon</span></span></h4><span style="font-size: x-small;">With thanks to Nieves Ramos and DJ Grothe for tweeting the quotes used above.</span>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2013/01/is-magic-art.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (R Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-7388620889413027903Mon, 27 Aug 2012 08:10:00 +00002012-08-29T02:04:30.876-07:00Lying, Cheating and Stealing (Part 2)After twenty-five performances, the show feels pretty good. The challenges of the room forced me to reduce the scope a little and narrow the performance to a simpler routine. It was still, very much, a sleight-of-hand show but my opening presentation, where cards are located as I describe my personal history in the field of cons and scams, had to go. The first two performances proved that the cards simply would not behave in the heat of that room.<br /><br />It's a shame, because there's a nice punchline and it sets the tone for what comes next but I found a very good alternative that I will probably continue to use in the longer show.<br /><br />The time constraint was a problem. I would like to have spent more time talking about the anatomy of a con game, a sequence that I developed for bigger shows but, like the shell and pea, which is a major part of the show, it is a real scam that relies on real people reacting in a genuine manner and can run short or long depending on the mark.<br /><br />With only 50 minutes it seemed logical that the best scam for the show was the shell and pea, where I con someone into playing for real money and then continue using psychology and the occasional move to force them into a very expensive corner.<br /><br />Real con games take time and tend to be a numbers game, where the right mark needs to be identified before the con gets played. In a show, it is necessary to create scenarios that audience members will take part in. It's also necessary to keep the whole thing moving.<br /><br />This show is about my love for the art of deception and, in the intimate "ZOO Aviary", it is an opportunity to perform some of the pieces I have developed over thirty five years.<br /><br />The purpose was to entertain the audience with the type of material no one else would be doing: genuine cheating moves, proposition bets, impossible card magic and challenges.<br /><br />I think it worked. Once I adjusted the material to deal with the room, it gelled in a way that I was happy with. The time never seemed to drag and, even when I had a few technical disasters, I was able to recover without tipping the audience to the problem. In the end, I was extremely happy with the show but, with more time, would expand the routine to include stories and greater interaction with the audience.<br /><br />This last element is what eats up the most time as audience questions often inspire several anecdotes or insights. At a recent conference, after the presentation, the Q&amp;A alone took two hours! While this is genuinely one of my favorite elements of what I do, it is not suited to the tight constraints of a Fringe show in a room shared with other performers before and after.<br /><br />That being said, this room has just fifty seats, the table is right in front of the audience and, frankly, the material is pretty good. It should be, I've spent most of my life perfecting it.<br /><br />A couple of reviewers pointed out, rightly so, that the title of the show suggested more of this than I actually included and I admit that this was a mistake. "Lie. Cheat. Steal. Confessions of a Real Hustler." is the title of my full evening show but was used for this shorter, more intimate affair - and that was a problem. This was always meant to be a chance to perform material I have spent a lifetime creating rather than the formal presentations I perform on stage.<br /><br />REVIEWS<br /><br />After the first weekends reviews, which were rightly critical of the flaws of an untested show, the reviews were much more favorable. Even the first three included praise for the performance and the effects presented but the commentss that mattered most (to me) were by audience members on the official Fringe website.&nbsp;Audience reviews tend to describe the show they saw, rather than what they expected. I think that's fair, whether the review is good or bad.<br /><br />Official Edinburgh Fringe reviewers are a strange mix from young students to more seasoned writers but they all bring their opinions and pre-conceptions to the table. Personally, I tend to dismiss any review that does more than assess and describe the actual performance. I completely accept that my marketing pointed to a bigger show than the room or the time-slot would allow and did not reflect the type of show I was bringing to the Fringe. I think it's right to point that out but it's dishonest, in my opinion, to penalise a show for not being what you assumed it to be <i>even though</i> you admit to having enjoyed it!<br /><br />One reviewer came to a good show (in the third week) and even complimented me on the way out the door, only to spend most of his review discussing what he expected and, even after conceding certain qualities of the show, went on to dismiss them in favour of what <i>he wanted</i> to see. I've read a lot of Fringe reviews and this is not unusual but I consider it to be the kind of thing that bankrupts the whole reviewer process at the Fringe. "It was a great show but it should have been..." is meaningless. Attending many shows does make one a performer but a good reviewer should be able to write an honest, balanced review even if it's a genre they do not typically like or enjoy.<br /><br />It's even more difficult to respect this reviewer's opinion when, in a "you couldn't make this up" paragraph, he complains that presenting the shell game as a con felt artificial and tacked-on. Since the shell game has always been a scam and is played like one in the show, one assumes this was simply an opportunity to flaunt his ignorance in the most obvious manner. Worst of all, it's badly written, repeats similar points, actually manages to conflict with its own conclusions and is, sadly, now part of the public record.<br /><br />My first review, which gave the show an equally low score, was an excellent example of a fair, well-written appraisal. It pointed out the flaws of my opening night and rated the show accordingly. It's my fault for bringing a show to Edinburgh without previewing it away from the harsh light of the critics. I agreed with every point she made and, since I had already addressed these issues, was happy to move on. The following two came a couple of days later and were fair but, once the show found it's legs, reviews tended to be exactly what I hoped for.<br /><br />LESSONS LEARNED<br /><br />Marketing is important &nbsp;for any show, in any situation. At the Fringe, I knew I couldn't compete with the more aggressive (and expensive) marketing of bigger shows. I printed twenty posters and one large image designed by Zakary Belamy. The posters were all in the ZOO Venues and none were distributed around Edinburgh.<br /><br />Fringe shows work very hard to bring in audiences. The acts spend hours on the Royal Mile leafleting the crowds (who often pass them straight to the trash) but I simply didn't have the time or the inclination to do that. My month in Edinburgh was as much about preparing for two large projects and my days were filled with work and study.<br /><br />Instead, I used Twitter and Facebook to spread the word as much as I could. The results were that most shows were full and the quieter, midweek shows, had more than the average for the room. I was fortunate to have the support of the audience as many people came as the result of word-of-mouth.<br /><br />I made money, which is a rarity at the Fringe, where many shows are unable to meet the costs of the venue and leave Edinburgh out of pocket. Even so, I doubt this low-key marketing would work for a bigger show. If I did bring the larger show, with video projection, anecdotes and audience interaction, the cost of the time-slot would be prohibitive, as would the cost of marketing and PR for such a show.<br /><br />If I return to the Fringe, I personally would prefer to stay in a smaller venue like the Aviary. Despite the heat of the room, it's a good place to perform the type of material I personally enjoy but rarely find the opportunity to share. The ZOO organizers are wonderful and the whole setup at this family of venues is second to none.<br /><br />I would certainly not use the same title and would probably make it clear that this is primarily a sleight of hand performance, with a little conjuring and a few con games.<br /><br />If I could create my own conditions, I would prefer the type of Venue that could allow me to be surrounded, around a large table. This is my favorite performing situation and it gets the strongest reactions but I have yet to see an Edinburgh Venue that's set up for this.<br /><br />Lastly, I think that the Fringe was a great way to spend a month working on new ideas but it's no longer the place for untested material. A show at the Edinburgh Fringe needs to be perfected before it arrives and cannot rely on the luxury of a "running-in" period. If I do return to the Fringe, I'd be sure to bring a show that I was already comfortable with.<br /><br />After a month on the Fringe, I have a tight, 50 minute show that I enjoy and gets great reactions from the public. I have some excellent quotes, if I choose to use them, and I've learned a great deal about where I want to take the show in the future.<br /><br />I made a profit and had a great time. Mission accomplished.<br /><br /><br />http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2012/08/lying-cheating-and-stealing-part-2.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-5669536590422308292Tue, 07 Aug 2012 09:48:00 +00002012-08-07T04:44:11.606-07:00Lying, Cheating and Stealing (Part 1)<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's been over sixteen years since I last performed a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been thinking about returning to the Edinburgh Fringe for years. Usually I drop in for a day here or there to visit the 'world's biggest arts festival' but it never seemed enough and the idea of spending a whole month in my once home city was an attractive proposition.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The problem was: how do I fit it into my schedule? The answer was simple - just book it and don't back out.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I could be in Sicily or Greece right now&nbsp; (offers I've turned down for the month of August). I could be back in Vegas working on two US projects or I could be at home in Glasgow, instead I'm putting together a new show and I am learning some important lessons every single day.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even with months of preparation and rehearsal new shows rarely start off as perfect.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The addition of a live audience changes everything and it takes days or weeks to adjust all the dials and get the balance just right.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't have weeks of rehearsal but I'd been planning the show for months picking a few items from my </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">existing repertoire and developing several new ideas</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">A </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">few weeks before the festival I </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">finally </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">made a firm list of what I intended to do with my fifty-minute time slot.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have several formats of show I perform throughout the year: I perform private shows where I am surrounded by the audience; corporate shows or stage shows with a video projector and formal close up performances with a table and a raked audience. I have developed material for all these shows but at the Fringe, I had to make some choices.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Fringe show needs to be something different. With over three weeks of performances, I</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> wanted to develop something new: the kind of show </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">I've </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">always wanted to perform</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The conditions this time were decided by me and I wanted to leave the Fringe having achieved something I might take around the world.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is not </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">a new endeavor</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I've performed versions of this show before,</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> but these were short runs, not every night for 25 nights. This </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">is an opportunity</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">to grow a little and gain some much needed experience.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With that in mind, I decided to choose my </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">favourite </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">material from </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">my repertoire</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">, regardless of difficulty or practicality. I ignored the easier path of interlacing simpler, more commercial fare with riskier material and set myself a real challenge:&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Develop a show with my own material based on my own interests and find out if I can share my</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp; </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">passion for sleight of hand with a room full of strangers.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span></i></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today will be my fifth performance and it's only just starting to gel. The room is quite hot, with no air-conditioning. Props stick to the lining of my jacket, my hands are uncomfortably sweaty and I've had a couple of routines go badly wrong because</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> conditions aren't as I'd </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">like them to be.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every night I go home and write a critique of my own performance,&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">highlighting </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">the changes that need to be made: My opening routine, which is incredibly strong when surrounded or performed with a huge video screen, was getting no reaction. My new handling of a classic effect needed tweaked</span><i style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">to be more direct. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">One of my </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">big move needs more work and better thinking </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">and </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I need to be more careful in who I select for certain routines.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">write </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">these notes and consider every option, then try to remember any </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">changes I make </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">in the heat of the show.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When my to-do notes lessen</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and the show starts running the </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">way my other sets feel (without a hiccup or a hitch created by poor design)</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> then I'll be happy, whatever happens.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately, a reviewer came to my opening night and I paid the price for presenting a completely new show without the opportunity to perform it elsewhere. The truth is, the reviewer hit the nail on the head and I agreed with almost everything she said.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since that opening night the show has settled in and feels </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">much stronger. Each </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">new idea or addition to the script, handling, timing or structure injects another untested element into the show. Each day I find out if the theory works or needs more thought.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Performing a new show is tough but I'm not alone. The Fringe is full of people who are doing the same year after year. I admire everyone for the effort and energy required to hold up a Fringe show each year. The smart ones (not me) perform the show many times before coming to </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Edinburgh, and </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">it shows. It's a lesson I've already learned, should I return for another year.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The way out still beckons. I could grab my Chop Cup, my Invisible Deck and Sponge Bunnies but that easy applause comes with a heavy price. "Lie. Cheat. Steal." is about my passion for the art of deception. There's more I would do if</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp; </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I had more </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">time, but</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> thankfully I'm able to concentrate on getting these routines </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">right, before </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">expanding the show in years to come.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; min-height: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Four down, twenty-one to go. I'll report back with what I've learned at the end of the run.</span></div></div>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2012/08/lying-cheating-and-stealing-its-been.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Paul Wilson)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-4643525947904140807Mon, 16 Aug 2010 07:48:00 +00002010-08-16T00:48:29.667-07:00Farewell J.C. WagnerMy friendship with J.C. Wagner began in 1987 when his book "The Commercial Magic Of J.C. Wagner" arrived at Tam Shepherd's Trick Shop in Glasgow.<div><br /></div><div>I was eighteen years old and had an insatiable appetite for close-up sleight of hand methods and effects. J.C.'s book was an instant classic and fast became one of my favorite books.</div><div><br /></div><div>The advice on how to use the Gambler's Cop, the chapter on Estimation, the rubber band revelation, Card On The Ceiling and the last trick in the book, Sweepstack have all been part of my repertoire over the years.</div><div><br /></div><div>The book was a thrill to read. Every trick was worth learning and trying out and, whoever this Wagner guy was, I wanted to meet him. It was sixteen years before I got the chance.</div><div><br /></div><div>When I heard JC had been booked for Ron McMillan's International Convention in London, I made certain that I would be there. I called Jim Patton and asked him to put in a good word on my behalf, loaded my bag with ammunition and went to London to hunt big game.</div><div><br /></div><div>My plan was to ambush J.C. in the traditional close-up magician's battleground - the convention bar. I had a feeling J.C. had seen a bar or two in his time so I brought the big guns:</div><div><br /></div><div>Impossible locations? Check.</div><div>Gambling techniques? Check.</div><div>Obscure methods? Check.</div><div>Commercial routines? Check.</div><div>Unfair, impractical but impossible miracles? Absolutely!</div><div><br /></div><div>I didn't just want to meet the man, I wanted to prove my worth and try to go toe-to-toe.</div><div><br /></div><div>I should have brought a bigger boat.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've learned a great deal over the years. That night in London I learned to chill out and stop trying so hard. J.C. Wagner turned out to be one of the nicest, kindest and most generous people it has been my privilege to meet.</div><div><br /></div><div>J.C. and I met around 7.30 on the first night of the convention. We were still going strong at 3.30am.</div><div><br /></div><div>What impressed me the most was his humility. J.C. seemed almost baffled by his own status. He almost apologized as he performed one miracle after another. For me, it was everything my eighteen year old self could have hoped for.</div><div><br /></div><div>I tried to hold up my end of the table but J.C. never seemed to dry up of great effects, subtle touches and priceless advise. It's an evening I'll never forget.</div><div><br /></div><div>By 3.15 there were just a couple of us left and J.C. realized he was working the next day. I asked him if he would like to see one more thing. Naturally he did, so I went for the big finish.</div><div><br /></div><div>I asked J.C. to think of any card. To change his mind until he was sure - positive - that it was a completely free choice. He named the seven of clubs.</div><div><br /></div><div>I dealt through my deck and J.C.'s card was missing. Gone. Vanished.</div><div><br /></div><div>J.C. looked at me and said "That's it?"&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I said "That's it." and handed him the deck. He checked it again and the seven was still missing. He nodded and we got up to leave. J.C. kept looking for the missing card but I simply said goodnight and we got in the elevator together to head for our rooms.</div><div><br /></div><div>As it turned out we were on the same floor. I wished J.C. a good night and went into my room. He entered his own room, which was a few doors down.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was sharing with Ryan Swigert who was still up preparing his own lecture for the next day. I told him to expect a knock on our door.</div><div><br /></div><div>We waited.</div><div><br /></div><div>Within a few minutes, there was a short, sharp knock. I opened it up to find J.C. wearing his trademark grin from ear to ear. He was holding the seven of clubs, which he had found under his pillow.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Who are you, Paul? The fucking card fairy?"</div><div><br /></div><div>It became a running gag between us. I even pulled it off over the phone when J.C. was at the TSD convention (which I missed thanks to a spider bite!).</div><div><br /></div><div>This year, at the Magic Con convention, I spent a few wonderful days in J.C.'s company and, thanks to my dear friend James Patton, I got to enjoy the best treat of all: a visit to The Little Club where J.C. held court every Saturday.</div><div><br /></div><div>My, what a day.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Accompanied by Tony Cabral and Tom Frank, Jim and I took the water taxi to the island and walked to the unimpressive, dark little bar where miracles might happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>First we chatted and J.C. fired a few shots at us from across the bar. We shared a sandwich as Tony Cabral dealt bottoms and pitched them onto the bar (and into the ice bucket). J.C. then showed us a few tricks he was toying with including one of my own effects. I was elated.</div><div><br /></div><div>The bar was quiet and J.C. told me it was usually like this. Then a crowd walked in. At first, I thought they might also be magicians from the convention but they were just tourists. Laymen.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>J.C. was on.</div><div><br /></div><div>Reading his book as an eighteen year old, I met J.C. Wagner as a powerful performer who could tear it up behind the bar and that day at The Little Club I saw J.C. at the height of his powers.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>How strong was his set? He opened with the bunnies. If you've ever worked a professional gig with the sponge bunnies (aka rubber rabbits) you know what powerful, shocking, hilarious effect it can be. Imagine that as your first effect, then building from there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Each effect J.C. did was a closer. He walked away after each one, with a facial flourish I will never forget. He was digging it just as much as they were and I learned a powerful lesson.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every time J.C. blew them away they begged him for more - and he delivered. Those routines I had read many years before came alive in that dark little bar. I saw my friend come alive. I saw a master at work.</div><div><br /></div><div>Later that night, J.C. was due to perform for the magicians at a bar near the convention. I decided not to go. I knew that it might be the last time I saw J.C. work but I wanted The Little Club to be that memory.</div><div><br /></div><div>The last time J.C. and I hung out was the last night of the convention. The cool kids were all going for dinner up the street but a few of us opted for a more intimate dinner: burgers and a shake.</div><div><br /></div><div>J.C. was tired. He fell asleep several times. As we parted he gave me a hug and whispered, "Getting old's a bitch".</div><div><br /></div><div>I recently extended a trip to LA so I could see J.C. at the Magic Castle. He never made it. We all knew it was bad news and, sadly I couldn't stay any longer to go and visit him.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Last night J.C. Wagner lost his battle with cancer. The last year was a gift he might might not have shared had it not been for his friends Jim Patton, Jamy Ian Swiss, John Kovarovic and Jeff Pearson.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>It's a very sad day for magic.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>P</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jv4h6Hs_r_Q/TGjtLygIkrI/AAAAAAAAAAY/DOx1Wyz-RUE/s1600/JC_%26_Friends.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jv4h6Hs_r_Q/TGjtLygIkrI/AAAAAAAAAAY/DOx1Wyz-RUE/s320/JC_%26_Friends.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>http://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2010/08/farewell-jc-wagner.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Paul Wilson)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2914157588305628144.post-3131228627870039660Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:51:00 +00002010-04-28T01:51:23.368-07:00C3Yesterday, Con Cam Coincidencia (C3) was released on Dan and Dave's website.<br /><br />This is a trick I've been using for a couple of years with great success to fool magicians and laypeople. It's a genuine miracle with cards that requires almost no sleight of hand.<br /><br />Essentially, it's a procedure that ends with a shocking revelation. It has been constructed so that the audience and the participants only remember the important parts of the effect and can never recall the details of the method.<br /><br />When we filmed this at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, it became clear that, since the procedure WAS the method, we could never release a full performance on video. The trick relies on creating a selective memory imprint on the audience (wow, that sounds COOL! Anyone know what it means?) so that they fool themselves as they recall each step, forgetting tiny details and moments where the real secret lies.<br /><br />Give the audience a rewind button and they would soon figure it out, so how do we share this miracle with our fellow magicians, without giving the game away for free?<br /><br />The result was a cleverly edited piece that shows the EFFECT created, without tipping any method.<br /><br />I've performed this around the world and explained it just twice for conferences in L.A. and Paris. Both times the effect and the method were huge hits. Both times I performed the effect before the interval and the explanation afterwards. 30 minutes after seeing the effect and discussing it together, the audience (all magicians) were still fooled.<br /><br />After both lectures, I received many emails from attendees looking for a reminder on the procedure for C3. It was not part of my notes and people who had learned the secret at the lecture were forgetting essential steps. The need for a video explanation was obvious - but we knew that editing the effect would cause a little controversy. It has but, now that the method has been released, feedback has been incredible.<br /><br />I'm glad that buyers of C3 are delighted with the method AND the effect. It's highly unusual to have to conceal the effect (or parts of it) in this way but C3 was worth taking the risk. It's one of my best tricks and I get a real thrill every time I perform it.<br /><br />Naturally, it takes more time to perform than many effects. It's not a trick to open with! But, find the right situation, and you'll create a moment people might never forget.<br /><br />If you're interested, pop over to Dan and Dave's site for more information.<br /><br />Phttp://machinebreak.blogspot.com/2010/04/c3.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Paul Wilson)1